Methods for reorienting and transferring elongate articles, especially frozen dessert cones

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods reorient head-to-head aligned leading and following articles to from an array of alternating head-to-tail oriented articles. The leading and following articles are initially captured at their respective head portions, and thereafter laterally shifted relative to one another. The laterally shifted leading and following articles may then be pivoted so that their respective tail portions swing towards one another to thereby form an array of alternating head-to-tail oriented articles. A moveable transfer tray may be brought into a position below the captured array of head-to-tail oriented articles so that upon their release, the array of a head-to-tail oriented articles falls by gravity and into the awaiting tray therebelow. The tray may then be retracted so as to carry the array of head-to-tail articles to a remote site, preferably above a transfer conveyor. A bottom wall of the transfer tray may then be retracted causing the array of head-to-tail oriented articles to again fall by gravity onto the transfer conveyor. The transfer conveyor may thus transport the array to another location, for example, a packaging station, where a secondary transfer assembly moves the array into an awaiting empty package. Most preferably, the articles are frozen dessert cones.

This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/889,878, filed Jul. 8,1997, now pending.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to automated systems and methodswhereby elongate articles may physically be reoriented and thentransferred in a reoriented condition from one location to another asmay be desired. In particularly preferred embodiments, the presentinvention relates to systems and methods whereby frozen confections,such as individually wrapped frozen dessert cones, may be reoriented andthereafter transferred automatically from a production line to a packingstation.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Individually wrapped frozen confection or desert cones are well known.Specifically, frozen dessert cones have an edible cone-shaped container(e.g., a sugar cone or the like) which is filled with a freezable dairyproduct, such as ice cream, ice milk, frozen yogurt or the like. Thefilled cone is covered with a conformably shaped paper or foil wrapperwhich is usually closed at its upper end by a lid. When the frozenconfection is desired to be consumed, the lid and wrapper are removedthereby allowing the cone and its frozen dairy product to be eaten.

The automated production of frozen dessert cones is well known, forexample, through U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,768 to Getman (the entire contentof which is expressly incorporated hereinto by reference). In general,frozen dessert cones are produced by intermittently advancing a nestedcone assembly (comprised of the frustroconically shaped edible prebakedcone and its conformably shaped paper overwrap) through a succession ofstations. Thus, for example, an atomized spray of chocolate (or otherflavored syrup) may be sprayed on the interior surfaces of the ediblecone prior to the cone being filled with a freezable dairy product.Thereafter, a topping of chocolate (or other flavored syrup) and nutsmay be applied immediately upstream of a lid applicator. The finishedproduct is then ejected from its conveyance track and subjected tofreezing conditions.

Typically, multiple finished cones are packaged in box board containersand then shipped to retail outlets. The conventional technique topackage frozen desert cones is to position them alternatelyhead-to-tail. In such a manner, the alternating head-to-tail arrangementof multiple cones achieves a generally rectangular configuration whichmore easily allows them to be packaged in standard rectangularly shapedboxes. Transferring the cones from the discharge conveyor and into theboxes in such an alternating head-to-tail arrangement is conventionallyaccomplished manually. That is, a worker must manually retrieve multiplefinished cones from the discharge conveyor and then arrange them in thehead-to-tail manner described above--a very time consuming andrepetitive endeavor.

Therefore, it would be highly desirable if transfer systems and methodswere provided which enable elongate articles, such as frozen desertcones, to be reoriented from their production alignment and arrangedalternately in a head-to-tail manner so that the alternatinghead-to-tail array of articles may the be packaged automatically (e.g.,thereby avoiding the repetitive manual operations of conventionalpackaging operations). It is towards providing such reorientation andtransfer systems and methods that the present invention is directed.

Broadly, the present invention is embodied in systems and methodswhereby leading and following elongate articles aligned in ahead-to-head orientation may be reoriented to form a head-to-tailoriented array of articles. Most preferably, the systems and methods ofthis invention serve to reorient and thereby transfer an array ofmultiple pairs of elongate articles from an initial vertical orientationto a side-by-side alternating head-to-tail horizontal orientation. Whenreoriented so as to be in a staggered, alternating side-by-sidehorizontal relationship, the multiple pairs of elongate articles maythen be placed automatically into a suitable package.

Preferably the elongate articles handled by the present invention arefrustroconically shaped frozen dessert cones with a conformable paperoverwrap, and specific reference to the same will be made below.However, it is to be understood that virtually any elongate articlesregardless of geometry could be handled using the principles of thepresent invention. When frozen dessert cones are handled, it is mostpreferable that the apparatus and methods of the present inventionreorient an array of multiple pairs of the same so as to be inhead-to-tail relationship. Such an orientation will more readily conformthe reoriented array of cones to the interior of a box-shaped shippingcontainer.

Thus, according to the present invention, frozen dessert cones may betransferred and reoriented from their production line and into a boxedcondition without manual intervention. These and other aspects of thepresent invention will become more clear after careful consideration isgiven to the detailed description of the preferred exemplary embodimentsthereof which follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will hereinafter be made to the accompanying drawings whereinlike reference numerals throughout the various FIGURES denote likestructural elements, and wherein;

FIG. 1 is a schematic box diagram showing the various stations employedto automatically transfer elongate objects, such as frozen desert cones,from a production line to a boxing line;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the transfer apparatus according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the transfer apparatus depicted inFIG. 2 as taken along line 3--3 therein;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of a preferred transfer head that may beemployed in the transfer apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional elevational view of the transfer headdepicted in FIG. 4 as taken along line 5--5 therein;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing another possible transferhead that may be employed in the transfer apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the transfer head shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional elevational view of the transfer head shownin FIG. 7 as taken along line 8--8 therein;

FIGS. 9A and 9B through FIGS. 16A and 16B depict paired side elevationaland plan views, respectively, showing a complete cycle of the primarycone transfer assembly wherein multiple cones are simultaneously removedfrom the production conveyor, reoriented in a head-to-tail manner, andthen transferred to a staging conveyor for the boxing operation; and

FIGS. 17A and 17B through 20A and 20B depict paired side elevational andplan views, respectively, showing a complete cycle of a secondary conetransfer assembly wherein the multiple cones arranged in a head-to-tailmanner are transferred into an awaiting empty box associated with aboxing station.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

I. General Discussion

Accompanying FIG. 1 depicts schematically the various operationsemployed in the present invention. Specifically, frozen confection conesmay be produced using any number (or all) of the production stationsdisclosed more fully in the above-cited U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,768 toGetman. That is, the system 1 according to the present invention mayinclude a cone dispensing station 2 whereby nested edible cones andtheir conformably shaped paper overwraps may be dispensed onto aconveyor 3. The cones may thereafter be brought into the cone jacketstraightener 4 which ensures that the cones and jackets are properlypositioned on the conveyor 3.

The cones may then be brought sequentially through a first spraydispenser 5, an ice cream dispenser 6 and a second spray dispenser 7.The first spray dispenser 5 dispenses a spray of flavored syrup (e.g.,chocolate) so as to coat the interior surface of the cone into which theice cream is to be dispensed by the dispenser 6. The second spraydispenser 7 will thereafter dispense a flavored syrup topping spray ontothe ice cream in the cone. A quantity of nuts may thereafter be appliedto the top of the ice cream in the cone by the nut dispenser 8. A paperlid is positioned over the top of the ice cream filled cone by the lidpositioner and is heat-sealed to the outer paper wrapper by means of theheat seal unit 10.

Thereafter, the finished cones are transferred by the primary conetransfer station 12 so that multiple pairs of such cones are reorientedfrom their machine aligned position to a head-to-tail cross-machineposition as briefly noted above. The reoriented array of cones may thenbe brought to the secondary cone transfer assembly 14 where the array istransferred as a unit to a cone boxing station 16. The cone array isthus placed by the secondary transfer station 14 into a suitablyconfigured container at the boxing station 16 conforming to the externalshape of the cone array. The boxed cones may then be shipped to retailcustomers.

Accompanying FIGS. 2 and 3 show in greater detail the structuresassociated with the primary and secondary transfer stations 12, 14,respectively, according to the present invention.

II. The Primary Transfer Station and Its Operation

As is shown, the frozen dessert cones (a few of which are identified inthe accompanying drawings by the identifier FDC) produced upstream ofthe primary transfer station 12 are supported vertically by a series oflinked conveyor trays 20. Each of the trays has a series of holes 20-1which are sized so that the tail of the cone is disposed below the tray20, while the head of the cone FDC is disposed above the tray somewhat.The conveyor trays are brought into registry below the primary transferstation by means of a driven sprocket 22 (see FIG. 3) which moves thetrays 20 in an intermittent, step-by-step manner in the direction ofarrows A-1 as viewed in FIG. 3.

The primary transfer station includes a vertical support column 24 and aprimary transfer assembly 26 cantilevered therefrom. The primarytransfer assembly 26 thus extends over the linked support trays 20 andis moveable vertically along the support column 24 by means of servomotors 26-1. The primary transfer assembly 26 includes a pair oftransfer arms 26-2, 26-3 each of which is rotatable about theirrespective elongate axes by means of servo motors 264 and 26-5,respectively. The support arms 26-2, 26-3, in turn, dependently supporta series of transfer heads 26-6, 26-7, respectively, each of whichserves to grip a respective one of the cones FDC and reorient it in amanner to be described in greater detail below.

The primary transfer station 12 also includes a transfer tray assembly30 which receives an array of reoriented cones FDC and positions themonto the transfer conveyor 32. In this regard, the transfer trayassembly 30 includes a tray box 30-1 and a movable bottom wall 30-2. Themovable bottom wall 30-2 is most preferably moved rectilinearly via aircylinders 30-3 between open and closed conditions relative to the traybox 30-1 as shown in FIG. 3. When in the open condition, the bottom wall30-2 is spaced from the tray box 30-1 so as to allow the head-to-tailarray of cones FDC to drop from the tray box 30-1 and onto the transferconveyor 32. On the other hand, when in the closed condition, the bottomwall 30-2 closes the bottom of the tray box 30-1 and thus supports thehead-to-tail array of cones FDC within the tray box 30-1 so that thecone array may be carried thereby to the transfer conveyor 32.

The tray assembly 30 is rigidly connected to a support bracket 30-4which itself is coupled to a shuttle 30-5 of an overhead rail assembly30-6. The shuttle 30-5 is in turn operatively coupled to a precisionmotor 30-7. Operation of the motor 30-7 thus drives the shuttle 30-5,and hence the tray assembly 30, rectilinearly along the rail assembly30-6 towards and away from the primary transfer system 12.

In the event that sensors upstream of the primary transfer station 12detect that one (or more) of the cones in the array of cones to betransferred is defective (e.g., due to incomplete filling, missing lid,or the like), the sensing heads may be deactivated by the logiccontroller LC so that the entire array of cones is ejected onto thereject conveyor 40. In this regard, the tail of the cones will beengaged with ejectors (a representative few of which are shown in FIG. 3by numeral 40-1) downstream of the primary transfer station 12 so as tophysically push the rejected cones FDC' onto the reject conveyor 40.Each of the ejectors 40-1 include a traveler (a representative one ofwhich is shown in dashed line in FIG. 3 by numeral 40-2) which travelsalong a cam slot 40-2 defined in the sprocket 22. The ejectors 40-1 thusdo not interfere with the normal removal of acceptable cones FDC at theprimary transfer station 12.

The head-to-tail array of cones FDC are brought by the conveyor 32 intoalignment with the secondary transfer station 14 which includes asecondary transfer assembly 14-1 which is extendable and retractablerelative to the boxing station 16. The conveyor 32 moves synchronouslywith the periodic advancement of empty boxes (one of which is shown atthe boxing station 16 by reference identifier 16-1) formed automaticallyfrom box blanks (not shown). Thus, the array of cones FDC will bebrought into alignment between the next successive empty box 16-1 andthe secondary transfer assembly 14-1 of the secondary transfer station14. Operation of the secondary transfer assembly 14-1 will thus slidablymove the head-to-tail array of cones FDC as a unit into the awaitingempty box 16-1.

Accompanying FIGS. 4-8 depict alternative embodiments of preferredtransfer heads that may be employed in the present invention. In thisregard, the transfer head 26-6 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is representativeof the transfer head 26-7 that may be employed by the transfer assembly26 discussed previously above and is pneumatic. That is, a flexiblesuction cup 50 is provided which is fluid connected to a source ofvacuum (not shown) via conduit 52. The vacuum thereby attracts and holdsthe head of the cone FDC to the transfer head 26-6.

An inverted rigid stabilization cup 54 is provided so as to stabilizethe cone FDC during pivotal movements thereof by means of the suctioncup 50 (as will be discussed in greater detail below). That is, therigid stabilization cup 54 prevents the weight of the cone from breakinga pressure seal with the suction cup 50 during pivotal movements of thetransfer head 26-6. As will be observed the terminal end of thestabilization cup 54 is such that the suction cup 50 extends downwardlytherefrom to ensure an adequate fluid-tight seal is formed with the lidof the cone FDC. In use, the stabilization cup 54 is positionedinteriorly of the upper rim of the cone's side wall which protrudesabove the cone lid and thus may bear against this upper rim somewhatduring movements of the transfer head.

An alternative transfer head 26-6' is depicted in accompanying FIGS.6-8. Like the transfer head 26-6 discussed above, the alternativetransfer head 26-6' is operated by fluid-connection of its conduit 56 toa source of vacuum (not shown). The conduit extends upwardly from agenerally cylindrically-shaped transfer head body 58 which carries atleast one, and preferably a pair of, gripping assemblies 60. Thetransfer head body 58 is sized so as to fit within the upper rim UR ofthe cone FDC against the cone's lid CL (see FIG. 8). The transfer headbody 58 is rigidly carried inside a stabilization cup 62 such that theconduit 56 extends upwardly through the central aperture 62-1 and isconnected to the vacuum source. The cup 62 has a wall 62-2 which definesan annular space 62-3 with the exterior surface 58-1 of the transferhead 58 so as to accept therewithin the upper rim UR of the cone FDCduring a transfer operation.

As shown in the drawings, the gripping assemblies 60 are radially spacedapart from one another by about 90° in the exterior cylindrical surface58-1 of the body 58. However, the gripping assemblies 60 could belocated at other angular orientations relative to one another, forexample, 180° if desired. Furthermore, a single one or more than two ofthe gripping assemblies 60 could be provided as may be desired. Forexample, three gripping assemblies could be provided radially spacedapart from one another by about 60° about the surface 58-1.

The gripping assemblies 60 include elongate finger elements 60-1 whichare housed within the body 58 for reciprocal movements between anextended position (wherein the terminal end of the finger elementfrictionally pinches the upper rim UR of the cone FDC against the wall62-2 of the stabilization cup 62) and a retracted position (wherein thefinger member 60-1 is withdrawn sufficiently to be disengaged with theupper rim UR of the cone FDC and thus allow the upper rim UR to be movedfreely into and out of the annular space 62-3). Compression springs 60-2act on respective ones of the finger elements 60-1 so as to normallybias the same into their retracted positions. Thus, in the absence ofpressurized air introduced into the conduit 56, the finger elements 60-1will be retracted into the body 58 thereby releasing the cone FDC (i.e.,as shown in FIG. 7) by virtue of the bias force provided by springelements 60-2. Conversely, upon pressurized air being introduced intothe conduit 56, the finger elements 60-1 will extend outwardly from thebody 58 against the bias force provided by spring elements 60-2 so as togrip the upper rim UR of the cone FDC. O-rings 60-3 are provided so asto seal the finger elements 60-1 to permit actuation by pressurized airintroduced through conduit 56 as described above.

It will be appreciated that a vacuum could be employed as a means tomove the finger elements 60-1 between their respective retracted andextended positions. That is, if a vacuum is employed, then tensionspring elements are preferably used so as to bias the finger elements60-1 into their extended positions. In such a case, the vacuum could beintroduced through the conduit 56 so as to cause the finger elements60-1 to retract into the body 58 against the bias force of the tensionspring elements.

Accompanying FIGS. 9A, 9B through 16A, 16B are paired sequence drawingsin elevation and plan views, respectively, which depict an operationalcycle of the primary transfer station 12. As noted briefly above, thecones FDC are presented to the primary transfer station 12 by virtue ofthe sequential step-by-step advancement of the conveyor trays 20. Thus,at the beginning of the transfer cycle at the primary transfer station12, a pair of trays 20 will be aligned with a respective one of thesupport arms 26-2, 26-3 associated with the primary transfer assembly 26as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B. (It will, of course, be understood that theupstream and downstream trays 20 are not visible in many of the FIGURESto be discussed hereinafter for ease of presentation and discussion.) Atthis point in time, the tray assembly 30 will be positioned so that thetray box 30-1 is positioned in registry above the transfer conveyor 32with the bottom wall 30-2 thereof being in its open condition.

As should also be observed in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the primary transferassembly 26 is in a raised position relative to the trays 20. Uponissuance of a command signal from the logic controller LC, however, theservo motors 26-1 will cause the transfer assembly 26 to be lowered(arrow A-2 in FIG. 10A) into a position such that the transfer heads 1526-2, 26-3 thereof are brought into contact with the heads of the conesFDC. At the same time, the cone assist plate 26-8 is moved upwardly(e.g., via cylinder 26-9) relative to the cones FDC so that theirrespective tops are displaced upwardly relative to the trays 20. Such astate is shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B. Each of the transfer heads 26-2,26-3 will therefor pneumatically capture a respective one of the conesFDC in alignment therewith by virtue of their fluid-connection to asource of vacuum (not shown). Thereafter, the logic controller LC willissue a command signal to the primary transfer assembly 26 causing it toraise (arrow A-3 in FIG. 11A) and thereby carrying with it the capturedcones FDC.

Once the tails of the cones FDC are clear of their respective trays 20,and simultaneously while the transfer assembly 26 continues its upwardmovement, the logic controller will issue a series of command signalswhich will sequentially cause the transfer arm 26-3 to shift laterally(i.e., in a cross-machine direction as shown by arrow A-4 in FIG. 11B)causing the transfer heads 26-6, 26-7 and the cones FDC captured therebyto be misaligned in the machine direction (i.e., in the direction ofarrow A-1 as shown in FIG. 9A). Practically immediately thereafter, thelogic controller LC will issue a command signal causing the servo motors264, 26-5 to operate thereby responsively counter-rotating the supportarms 26-2, 26-3 and the cones FDC captured by their respective transferheads 26-6, 26-7 (i.e., in the directions of arrows A-5 and A-6,respectively, in FIG. 11A).

At the same time as the transfer assembly 26 is removing the cones FDCfrom their respective trays 20, the tray assembly 30 is beginning itsforward movement as indicated by arrow A-7 in FIGS. 11A and 11B. Priorto advancing forwardly toward the primary transfer assembly 26, however,the bottom wall 30-2 of the tray assembly 30 will be moved into itsclosed condition by the air cylinders 30-3 so as to close the tray box30-1 as discussed previously. As noted above, the movement of the trayassembly towards and away from the primary transfer assembly 26 iseffected by the operation of the servo motor 30-7 which drives the trayassembly 30 via its interconnection to the shuttle 30-5.

As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the primary transfer assembly 26 willreach its uppermost position while the tray assembly 30 continues tomove in the direction of arrow A-7. It should be observed in this regardthat the uppermost position of the primary transfer assembly 26 asdepicted in FIGS. 12A and 12B is higher relative to the trays 20 ascompared to the position of the primary transfer assembly 26 at thebeginning of its cycle (i.e., as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B). The conesFDC captured by their respective transfer heads 26-6, 26-7 will bealternately disposed relative to one another such that their respectivetails point in opposite directions upstream and downstream relative tothe machine direction.

Upon reaching the end of its travel, as shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, thetray assembly 30 will be positioned immediately below the alternatelydisposed and oppositely directed cones FDC captured by their respectivetransfer heads 26-6, 26-7. At this time, the transfer assembly will belowered somewhat (arrow A-8 in FIG. 13A) so that it once again assumesits start position. Lowering the primary transfer assembly 26 will thuscause the tails of the cones FDC to be closer the tray box 30-1 and itsbottom wall 30-2 so that they may be dropped thereinto withoutsubstantial rebound. Thus, after being lowered into its initialposition, the vacuum may be interrupted to the transfer heads 26-6, 26-7causing the cones FDC to drop by gravity onto the bottom wall 30-2 ofthe tray box 30-1 as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B. The tray assembly 30thus collects the transferred cones FDC in an alternating head-to-tailarray. Substantially immediately thereafter, the servo motors 26-4 and26-5 are again caused to operate by a signal from the logic controllerLC so as to rotate the transfer arms 26-2 and 26-3 to their startingposition--i.e., in a direction opposite to arrows A5 and A6 as shown inFIG. 11A so that the transfer heads 26-6 and 26-7, respectively, areagain vertically disposed.

The tray assembly 30 is then caused to move away from the primarytransfer assembly in the direction of arrow A-9 as shown in FIGS. 15Aand 15B until the tray box 30-1 is positioned vertically above thetransfer conveyor 32. At this time, the conveyor trays 20 are moved in astepwise manner in the direction of arrow A-1 so as to present anotherpair of trays (designated 20' in FIGS. 15A and 15B) and their associatedcones (designated FDC' in FIGS. 15A and 15B). Substantially immediatelyafter being positioned above the transfer conveyor 32, the air cylinders30-3 are operated by a command signal from the logic controller LC so asto move the bottom wall 30-2 into its opened position thereby allowingthe head-to-tail array of cones FDC to drop by gravity from the tray box30-1 and onto the transfer conveyor 32.

III. The Secondary Transfer Assembly

The head-to-tail array of cones FDC which have been transferred from theconveyor trays 20 to the transfer conveyor 32 are then brought into theproximity of the secondary transfer assembly 14. The secondary transferassembly 14 serves to transfer the head-to-tail array of cones FDC intoan awaiting empty box 16-1 formed by a conventional automated boxingmachine 16 (see FIG. 2).

Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B, the secondary transferassembly 14 generally includes a support frame 70 which supports guiderails 72 positioned above the transfer conveyor 32. The frame 70 alsosupports an intermediate tray 73 which spans the distance between thetransfer conveyor and the awaiting empty box 16-1 associated with theboxing station. The guide rails 72, in turn support a coupling member 74which is slidably moveable along the guide rails in reciprocalrectilinear directions. The coupling member 74 is connected operativelyto an actuator 75. Thus, in response to actuation of the actuator 75,the coupling member 74 is caused to move rectilinearly towards and awayfrom the awaiting empty box 16-1 along the rails 72. Most preferably,the actuator 75 is a rodless actuator which is magnetically coupled tothe coupling member 74. One presently preferred actuator 75 is theUltran Slide Rodless Cylinder Model No. UGS-1219-B which is commerciallyavailable from Bimba Manufacturing Col of Munce, Ill.

The coupling member 74 carries an air cylinder actuator 76 whichincludes actuator rods 76-1 coupled to a distal push plate 78. Uponreceiving appropriate signals from the logic controller LC, pressurizedair will be directed to the cylinder 76 so as to cause the push plate 78to be advanced toward, or retracted from, the transfer conveyor 32.

In operation, the secondary transfer assembly 14 begins its transfercycle in a condition as shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B. That is, thecoupling member 74 is moved into its fully rearward position as shown sothat the push plate 78 is located physically on a lateral side of thetransfer conveyor 32 opposite of the boxing station 16. Furthermore, thepush plate 78 is in its fully retracted position. Thus, the push plateis located physically above and laterally of the head-to-tail array ofcones FDC which have been brought into registry with the secondarytransfer assembly 14 by the transfer conveyor 32 in opposition to theawaiting empty box 16-1.

Upon receipt of a control signal by the logic controller LC, theactuator 76 is activated so as to cause the actuator rods 76-1 to extendthereby lowering the push plate 78 toward the transfer conveyor 32(arrow A-10 in FIG. 18A) and the awaiting head-to-tail array of conesFDC in position thereon as shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B. The logiccontroller will then issue a signal to the actuator 75 thereby causingthe coupling member 74 to advance forwardly (arrows A-11 in FIGS. 19Aand 19B) towards the awaiting empty box 16-1 associated with the boxingstation 16.

At the forwardmost extent of its travel, therefore, the head-to-tailarray of cones FDC are pushed physically into the awaiting empty box.Thereafter, as shown in FIGS. 20A and 20B, the secondary transferassembly 14 is caused to move rearwardly (arrows A-12 in FIGS. 20A and20B) simultaneously with retraction of the push plate 78 from itslowered position and into its raised position. Once the secondarytransfer assembly 14 returns to its initial position, the conveyor 32may be indexed so as to move the next array off cones FDC into propertransfer position in relation to the assembly 14. Meanwhile, the boxedarray of cones FDC proceeds on to a downstream location (e.g., a productcollection site) after having the box flaps sealed.

While the invention has been described in connection with what ispresently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment,it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to thedisclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover variousmodifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for reorienting leading and followingones of elongate articles from an initial orientation wherein theleading and following ones of elongate articles are aligned in a firstplane, and into a laterally alternating head-to-tail orientation to forman array of alternating head-to-tail oriented articles wherein theelongate articles lie in a side-by-side position in a second planesubstantially perpendicular to said first plane, said method comprisingthe steps of:(a) capturing respective head portions of leading andfollowing ones of said elongate articles while in said initialorientation; (b) simultaneously laterally shifting said captured leadingand following ones of said elongate articles relative to one another sothat said captured leading and following ones of said elongate articlesare misaligned with one another in a direction laterally to said firstplane; and (c) simultaneously pivoting said laterally shifted leadingand following ones of said elongate articles so that tail portionsthereof swing toward one another until said articles are brought intosaid side-by-side position and thereby form said array of alternatinghead-to-tail oriented articles.
 2. The method of claim 1, whichcomprises prior to step (a), the step of transporting said leading andfollowing ones of elongate articles along a conveyance path.
 3. Themethod of claim 2, wherein step (a) includes removing said capturedleading and following ones of elongate articles from said conveyancepath.
 4. The method of claim 1, which further comprises:(d) moving atransfer tray below said array of alternating head-to-tail orientedarticles; and (e) releasing said articles so that said array ofalternating head-to-tail oriented articles falls by gravity into saidtransfer tray.
 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising moving saidtransfer tray to a remote location.
 6. The method of claim 5, furthercomprising removing said array of head-to-tail oriented articles fromthe transfer tray at said remote location.
 7. The method of claim 6,further comprising retracting a movable bottom wall of the transfer trayso that said array of head-to-tail oriented articles falls by gravitytherefrom and onto a transfer conveyor.
 8. The method of claim 7,further comprising transporting said array of head-to-tail orientedarticles on said transfer conveyor to a packaging station.
 9. The methodof claim 8, further comprising pushing said array of head-to-tailoriented articles as a unit from said transfer conveyor and into anawaiting empty package at said packaging station.
 10. The method ofclaim 9, wherein said step of pushing includes bringing a push plateinto contact with said array of head-to-tail oriented articles, and thenmoving said push plate laterally relative to said transfer conveyor soas to push said array of head-to-tail oriented articles into said emptypackage.
 11. The method as in any one of claims 1-10, wherein thearticles are frozen dessert cones.